Handle for luggage and the like



Sept 17, 1957 J. R. .PICK ETAL HANDLE FOR LUGGAGE AND THE LIKE Filed March 30, 1955 LFEJD'TE cfaeph. R. HalaA HANDLE FR LUGGAGE AND THE LIKE Joseph R. Pick and Theodore M. Lasinski, Chicago, Ill.;

Vincent Curtis Baldwin and `Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust Company of Chicago, executors of said .loseph R. Pick, deceased.

Application March 30, 1955, Serial No. 497,851

2 Claims. (Cl. 15m- 58) This invention relates to a luggage handle structure and more particularly to a novel cushioned mounting assembly which is adapted to interconnect a handle to a piece of luggage or the like.

More specifically the present invention relates to novel floating resilient cushioning assembly interposed between the handle and luggage or bag which is adapted to absorb and minimize transmission of shocks and the like to the handle which often occur in the carrying of same.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide resilient cushioning means which serve to minimize the transmission of shocks to the handle of a piece of luggage due to sudden impact.

Another object of this invention is the provision of novel cushioning means which may be utilized in such a manner so as not to necessitate any major change in the usual construction of luggage handles.

nited States Patent O1 A further object of this invention is to provide a suspension type mounting which is relatively economical to manufacture and which lends itself to large scale production techniques. Y

In accordance with the general features of this invention there is provided in a pieceof luggage including a bagand a handle, resilient Vmeans interposed between the handle and bag responsive to Vsudden gravitation of the bag during manual carrying of same for absorbing shock and minimizing transmission of same to the handle, the resilient means being disposed vertically between the bag and handle and including a spring urged element connected to one and .a casing therefor connected to the other so as to define a cushioned lost motion connection between the handle and bag extensible in response to shock to cushion downward gravitation of the bag relative to the handle.

Other objects and features of this invention may more fully appear from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing which illustrates several embodiments thereof and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a piece of luggage showing our novel floating cushioned mounting assembly affixed thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view with parts in elevation showing in detail our novel cushioned mounting assembly;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side view of our novel cushioned mounting assembly highlighting a modified arrangement for securing same to a piece of luggage; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional View with parts in elevation similar to Figure 2 but showing in full and dotted lines a modified arrangement for securing the novel cushioned mounting assembly to a piece of luggage or the like.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally our novel resilient or cushioned mounting assembly which is particularly adapted to be used in the attachment of a grip-` ping handle 11 to a piece of luggage or a handbag 12.

Patented Sept. 17, 1957 ICC Y The mounting assembly 10 includes a pair of vertical uprights 13-13 which are substantially identical and embody features of the present invention.

Each of the vertical uprights 13 is comprised of a main cylindrical casing 14 which has a shouldered terminal or stop 15 at one end defining a reduced opening 16. The other end 17 of the cylindrical casing 14 is internally threaded at 18 and adapted to receive a threaded insert 19. The insert 19 is threaded at 20 so as to be capable of receiving a threaded member or screw 21 which is utilized in the attachment of the mounting assembly 10 to the wall 22 of the bag 12 as hereinafter described.

Movable with respect to the cylindrical casing 14 and resiliently mounted therein is a stud 23 which has a shank portion 24 adapted to telescope within the reduced opening 16, and an enlarged headed stud end 25 which, in normal assembled position, abuts against the shoulder terminal or stop 15.

The shank portion 24 terminates on its vertically lower end in an annular shoulder or stop 26 which is of a larger diameter than the opening 16 in much the same manner as is the headed stud end 25.

Carried entirely within the cylindrical casing 14 isV a resilient element or spring 27a. The spring 27a is enclosed and confined on its sides thereof by the icasing 14,y at its vertical extremity by the shoulder vterminal or stop 15 and at its vertical lower extremity by the shoulder an opening 29 which is adapted to receive therein oney end of the cross bar 28 in such a manner that thecrossbar is carried betweenthe respective Vstudends 25.

l It will be noted that the spring restrainedY shank or;

element 24 connected directly to the handle 11 has reality a lost motion connection with the cylindrical cas ing 14 fastened to the bagfso that the' bag can movere siliently downwardly away from the handle in response to shock. Further it will be appreciated that the casing and shank could be reversed in position and still accomplish the same cushioning result. While we have shown two cushioned mounting assemblies attached to each end of the handle 11 one assembly could be utilized to accomplish the same result.

The assembly of the foregoing components, namely, the mounting assembly 10, the handle 11 and the bag 12 may be elected in the following manner.

Initially the resilient or cushioned mounting assembly 10 is assembled. The stud 25 is telescoped through the opening 16, a spring or the like 27a is inserted through the other open end about the shank 24 and thereafter the end of the shank 24 is suitably deformed to form a shoulder 26 thereby confining the spring 27a between the respective shoulders 16 and 26. Thereafter the rivet 19 is threaded into the casing 14.

This same procedure is Icarried out in the same manner in connection with each of the cushioned mounting :assemblies 10 used in the respective uprights 13-13.

At this point metal plates 30 and 31 are suitably disposed on opposite sides of the luggage or bag wall 22 and the screw 21 is inserted through an opening 32 provided in the respective plates and wall 22. Each mounting assembly 10 is then aligned with respect to one of the screws 21-21 which extends through the aforementioned members and thereafter each of the screws 21 is loosely connected with the corresponding aligned mounting assembly 10. At this point the cross bar 28 is slipped through the opening 29 provided in the handle 11 and the ends of the cross bar are inserted into the openings 27 provided in respective studs 2 3. Thereafter the respective screws 21 on the mounting assemblies 10 are tightened and in that manner each end of the handle 11 is mounted on and carried between a pair of cushioned mounting assemblies 10 and the bag. This same procedure is then carried out in regard to the securement of the other end of the handle 11.

`Tn 'the'light of the foregoing it will now be understood that as shocks are exerted and transmitted to the handle 11, the cushioned mounting assemblies 10 will expand and retract in response to shocks thereby minimizing same and facilitating the handling and carrying of the bag,

Figures 3 and 4 illustrate a modified form of our invention. Where the elements are the same asin the rst form of the invention the same numerals have been a-gain employed. Y

In this for'm of our invention the means for attaching the cushioned mounting assembly 1t) to the bag 12 has been varied.

vReduced ends 33 (only one shown) of a pair of threaded inserts 34 (only one shown) are inserted through spaced aligned apertures 35 and 36 in a shield 37 and cross bar 38, respectively, and thereafter the reduced ends 33 are riveted as indicated at 39 thereby securing the inserts 34 in unitary relation to Vthe shield 37 and the cross bar 38. Integral with and extending at right angles to the cross bar 38 at opposite ends of same are a pair of deformable tabs or prongs 411-40. These tabs are utilized as later described herein'to maintain and secure the mounting assembly 10 to the bag 12.

Much the same procedure is followed in the assembly of the cushioned mounting assembly 1), the handle 11 and the bag 12 as in the previously described form of our invention.

In this form of our invention the tabs 40 which are integral with the riveted elements above mentioned are inserted through openings 41-41 of the bag wall 22 and thereafter deformed in a direction toward one another contiguous within the wall 22 thereby effecting a rm connection.

The casings 14 of the respective cushioned mounting assemblies 10 are then threadingly secured to the respective threaded inserts 34 (only one shown) in a loose relation. Thereafter the elements are finally assembled in the same manner as .previously described in connection with-the rst form of our invention,

The term luggage as used herein and in the claims is intended to include any type of container fitted with a handle for carrying purposes, such as boxes or cases for musical instruments, radios and other articles. The resilient mounting between the handle and load-carrying container serves to lessen the strain and reduce shocks that would otherwise be transmitted to the hand, wrist, arm and shoulderv of the one carrying such luggage.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

We claim as our invention:

l. ln a resilient mounting for coordina-ting a luggage body and the handle therefor, handle means for manually carrying same, a mounting including a cylindrical casing having a reduced opening at one end, a headed stud for attachment to said handle means and having a reduced shank portion extending through said opening and terminating in a shoulder` means within said casing, and resilient "leans interposed between said shoulder means and said end of said casing for cushioning sudden longitudinal shocks between the 'luggage body and said handle means.

2. In a resilient mounting for coordinating a luggage body and the handle therefor, handle means for manually carrying same, a mounting including a cylindrical casing having a reduced opening at one end, a headed stud for attachment to said handle means and having a reduced shank portionextending through said opening and terminating in a shoulder means within said casing, spring means interposed between said shoulder means and said end of said casing for cushioning sudden longitudinal shocks between the luggage and'handle means, and means joining said cylindrical casing to said luggage body.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

